Kenya Week at Expo 2025 Osaka, Japan kicks off

Kenya Week celebrations at Expo 2025 Osaka, Japan, kicked off Sunday with a Diaspora Networking Dinner hosted by the Kenya Export Promotion and Branding Agency (KEPROBA).

The Saturday evening event at the Osaka International Convention Center marked a powerful opening to a week dedicated to trade, culture, and national pride

It brought together Kenyan professionals, entrepreneurs, students, and community leaders residing in Japan, uniting them under a shared vision, leveraging diaspora potential for Kenya’s socio-economic growth.

Key dignitaries present include Investment, Trade and Industry CS Lee Kinyanjui, Mr. Moi Lemoshira, Kenya’s Ambassador to Japan, and Ms. Floice Mukabana, CEO of the Kenya Export Promotion and Branding Agency (KEPROBA) and Commissioner General for Section Kenya at Expo 2025 and Chairman Jas Bedi.

In her remarks, Ms. Mukabana emphasised the central role that diaspora communities play in promoting Kenya’s image abroad, stating:

“We are keen on areas of engagement and strategic collaboration like marketing linkages that are focused on exporting to Japan, especially for high export potential such as flowers, tea, coffee, nuts and horticultural products. We are also seeking partnerships to promote Kenya as a preferred destination for trade, investments and tourism. We can leverage Japanese connections to create expansion routes in North and South East Asia, Australia and Pacific, hence opening new market frontiers.”

The dinner featured presentations from representatives of key Kenyan institutions, including the Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB), Kenya Tourism Board (KTB), and the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC), highlighting investment and travel opportunities back home.

The highlight of the evening was a thought-provoking panel discussion titled “From Personal Networks to National Gains: Scaling Kenya’s Export Footprint in Japan.” Panellists ranging from CEOs of export and logistics firms to diaspora professionals and business leaders based in Japan explored how Kenyans abroad can actively promote Kenya’s products, services, and values.

Topics included labour mobility, trade facilitation, cultural marketing, and distribution partnerships.

While speaking to the Diaspora community in Japan, the Cabinet Secretary for the Ministry of Investments, Trade and Industry Lee Kinyanjui highlighted the importance of diaspora engagement and collaboration.

“In the last one year, Kenya has signed multiple government-to-government labour agreements with different states, and as a result, over 400, 000 Kenyans are now working abroad and contributing to diaspora remittance. We owe it to us as Kenyans to enhance these cooperations to promote the economic well-being of our youth and to enhance investments across various value chains.” He said.

The event concluded with a vibrant networking session and a call to action: for Kenyans in Japan to become champions of Brand Kenya, not just through personal success, but through collective purpose.

Key events to watch out for

Kenya’s presence at Expo 2025 will be marked by a series of dynamic events designed to showcase its multifaceted strengths:
– Kenya Run at the Expo (Mini-Marathon) – June 22, 2025: Themed “Run with Champions,” this event will feature elite Kenyan athletes, promoting the nation’s sporting excellence on a global stage.
– Kenya-Japan High-Level Business Forum – June 23, 2025: This forum will present Kenya’s vast trade, investment, and tourism opportunities to business leaders from Japan, Southeast Asia, and the Far East.
– Kenya’s National Day of Honour – June 24, 2025: The pinnacle of the Kenya Week Celebrations, this day will feature the hoisting of the Kenyan flag, with H.E. the President of the Republic of Kenya expected as the Chief Guest, followed by a vibrant cultural performance of Kenyan music and dance.
– Flower Day (Date to be announced): Visitors will have the chance to learn about Kenya’s thriving cut flower industry, the world’s fourth-largest exporter of these beautiful blooms.
– Daily Engagements: Throughout the Expo, visitors can enjoy tea tasting, coffee cupping, and nuts sampling at Kenya’s Non-Commercial Space, located directly opposite the Kenya Pavilion.